Hasta La Creative!

Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon made light of their situations as media reports suggested that Mr. Fallon may be taking over the “Tonight” show on NBC.

“The Walking Dead,” “The Bible” and “Game of Thrones” all registered impressive ratings on Sunday night.

Here’s the thing. On TV and in movies, story matters. Story always matters. No matter how many special effects or hot women the producers decide to throw in, it’s all crap unless there’s a good story line.

So why AMC decided to drop its “Story Matters Here” tagline in favor of the meaningless, applicable-to-anything “Something More” escapes logic.

Oh sure, today’s culture has the attention span of a gnat and change can’t come quick enough. But when change comes, it should at least make sense and this does not.

Explaining the change like she had a creative brief crammed down her throat, AMC EVP of Marketing Linda Schupack said, “‘Something More’ speaks to the idea that we’re going to go a little deeper and we’re going to take a twist where you don’t necessarily expect it.The idea is that we are ‘Something Innovative,’ ‘Something Engaging,’ ‘Something Immersive.’ All of which then rolls up to ‘Something More.'”

What could possibly be more innovative, engaging and immersive than…oh…I don’t know…a good story?

It truly saddens us that marketers simply cannot help themselves from messing with a good thing.

Bassem Youssef, a popular television host, is accused of insulting President Mohamed Morsi and denigrating Islam.

American TV has a long tradition of imitating foreign shows, and the fall season may include several new forms of flattery, with “Friends and Family,” “Pulling,” “Rake,” “Second Sight” and “Spy.”

NBC has yet to learn how to handle successions gracefully, Barbara Walters will retire in 2014, and Christopher Cuomo and Kate Bolduan will host a new CNN morning show.

When he joined WNBC-TV, there were few black reporters. But Mr. Teague was eventually disillusioned with TV newscasts.

In recapping Episode 12, Ashley Parker and David Carr conclude that journalists always vote for the better story.

From Chicago’s Energy BBDO comes two new spots for Orbit that illustrate the mantra “Eat, Drink, Chew,” a saying that became popular in North Carolina and surrounding regions in the late 18th century.

With the famed Tobacco Road turning to alternative industries due to America’s feeble attempt to kick its dirty, smelly habit, Wrigley brand Orbit is jumping at the opportunity to turn the saying into something positive for its strain of refreshing after-meal gum. To illustrate that Orbit fights bad breath, they’ve turned to living, breathing food mutant actors. Traditionally maligned by society due to their unsightly presence and caustic personalities, it’s inspiring to see these social outcasts given a role, whether they’re a pile of buttery mashed potatoes or a hunk of unidentifiable fried meat.

A second spot depicts working-class Americans’ number one reason for avoiding polo matches. No, it’s not the overabundance of pastel Ralph Lauren sweaters; it’s the fear of breathing partially digested nacho particles onto a horse that someone probably paid a lot of money and accidentally killing it. Remember, only Orbit can prevent a life of indentured servitude under the employ of an oil baron whose polo horse you mistakenly murdered. Credits after the jump.
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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Mr. Carlson, a longtime political voice and founder of The Daily Caller, becomes the permanent host and instant competitor to the new weekend host on MSNBC.